Syria’s new leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told The Times of London that he will not allow Syria to be used as a launchpad for attacks against Israel or any other state. However, Golani, who now prefers to be known by his birth name Ahmed al-Shara, warned Israel that it must end its airstrikes in Syria and withdraw from the buffer zone. “Israel’s justification was the presence of Hezbollah and Iranian militias so that justification is gone,” he said, reiterating the same message he conveyed in an interview with the opposition TV channel Syria.tv over the weekend. “We are committed to the 1974 agreement and we are prepared to return the UN [monitors],” he said. “We do not want any conflict whether with Israel or anyone else and we will not let Syria be used as a launchpad for attacks. The Syrian people need a break, and the strikes must end and Israel has to pull back to its previous positions.” Asked whether Syria would be ruled by Islamic law, Golani said that that “would be the natural Syria” but added that he thinks that “Syria will not deeply intrude on personal freedoms” but “customs” will be taken into account. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)